The Embers Left Behind
by Neverfallforfun
Summary: Zutana, the cousin of Prince Zuko, and daughter-in-law to Iroh, defected from the Fire Nation a day after Zuko was banished. She has been chosen, but for what?
1. Chapter 1

Her father had been General Shu of the Fire Lord's Army. He served in the Earth Kingdom, around the "Not-So-Misty" Palms Oasis. She was cousin to Princess Azula, and very tentative friends with Mai and Ty Lee. But, her dearest friend in all the world was the Crown Prince, Zuko.

Zuko had been her confidante, her dearest companion and above all, her beloved cousin. They did everything together.

It was to her that Zuko complained about Azula, talked about Palace life, or mooned over Mai. They were very close, as close as two cousins could possibly be. Zutana and Zuko were inseparable.

Zutana had been promised to the first Crown Prince, Lu Ten, at birth. She loved Lu Ten more than life itself. When her own father was killed in the war, General Iroh became more than just a prospective father-in-law; he became even closer to her than her own father had been. Then, the letter came that Lu Ten had been killed in the war, during Iroh's siege of Ba Sing Se. Zutana was inconsolable. Zuko could do more than watch over her until Iroh returned to the capital. Then, Iroh and Zutana mourned together.

Zutana was there, on the fateful day of Prince Zuko's Agni Kai. She had stood a few people to the left of Iroh. She was horrified when she learned that the Fire Lord was Zuko's challenger. She saw Iroh look away. Her stomach wrenched and twisted when she heard Zuko's agonized scream. She looked at Iron, and their eyes met, then she saw black.

When she awoke, she was told that Zuko had been banished, and that Iroh accompanied him.

This is what finally destroyed the love she had held for her nation. She had lost her father in their stupid war, then she lost Lu Ten, her cousin had been banished by their ruler and his father to search for the ever elusive Avatar, and Iroh, her kind, loving Dragon of the West, had come home in disgrace after he lost Lu Ten at Ba Sing Se, and now he was gone too. Her faith and love in her nation was gone, and now, so was she.

That night, she left the palace, and the Fire Nation, behind.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, where are you headed?" The boy asked Zutana. He was a polite young man named Loren. He was escorting her down the countryside and out to the seashore where she would barter passage on any ship that would take her out of the Fire Nation.

"The colonies in the Earth Kingdom." She lied quickly. "They needed teachers, so I volunteered." She shrugged. "It probably won't be as nice there as it is here." She paused. "And, you?"

"I'm joining up." He said. "The Army could always use more fighters, and there is no greater honor than fighting for one's homeland."

Zutana nodded. The hours passed as Zutana and Loren travelled down the winding path from the capital city to the bay. Once they arrived, they went their separate ways- Loren to the recruiting tent, and Zutana to the docks. It took her over an hour, but she finally did manage to gain passage aboard an old barge bound for a small village on the Earth Kingdom coast that had been occupied for a little over three years.

The barge was less than comfortable, and the crew was far from accommodating. She ended up spending most of the journey shut away in the little room that had been made up for her.

Upon her arrival in the Earth Kingdom, two weeks later, the fire nation soldiers seemed eager- bordering on insistent- that she spend her short stay up in the fortress with the officers. After they finally left her in peace, she decided to explore the village a bit.

She wandered around the marketplace, looking at anything that struck her fancy. She stopped at several food stalls, and purchased provisions for the rest of her journey. Then, she stumbled upon a foodstore that was empty, save for two people; and old, grey-haired woman, and a teenage boy, around twelve or thirteen, who had a very large parcel in his hands

"Haru," The old woman began, "put that package up on the counter, then go and get the next batch from the back storeroom."

"Yes, mother." Haru said.

It was then that the old woman noticed Zutana standing in the doorway. She eyed her Fire Nation garb warily. "How may I help you?" She asked suspiciously.

"I was wondering if you sold clothing here or not." Zutana replied calmly.

"No, but the shop across the street does." She answered. She went back to her business.

"Thank you very much." She bowed slightly, then glanced around at the sparsely stocked shelves. "So, what is it like here?"

"Why do you ask?" Haru countered.

"Just curious." Zutana bowed again, and left the shop.

Over the next few days, she gathered more and more supplies, readying herself to make the journey east. On her third day in the village, she decided to take a short walk into the surrounding countryside.

It was almost as if her head was on a swivel. She was constantly looking around. IThere aren't anywhere near as many trees at home./I She thought. About an hour passed, and she happened across a small patch of fire lilies. II thought that fire lilies only grew in the Fire Nation/I. She picked one up, and inhaled its wonderful fragrance. After admiring it for a moment, she tucked it behind her ear.

She was about to look for more when a movement off to her right caught her eye. She crouched down, so as not to be noticed, and then inched forward to get a closer look. When she was successfully concealed behind a rather thick bush, she ventured a glance.

It was the boy from the shop she had visited her first day in town. He was earthbending!

She watched, breathlessly. She had never seen an earthbender before! His style seemed a bit crude, but that could hardly have been his fault. IHe obviously doesn't have a teacher./I She thought. IStill, he's pretty good for self-taught./I

She shifted her weight slightly, and the brush around her rustled. Haru dropped the rock he had been holding up, and looked around, worried. He waited a moment, listening intently, then ran from the clearing.

Zutara waited a moment before moving. IWhat was he so afraid of?/I She wondered. INow that I think about it, he's the only Earthbender I've seen here./I

She pondered this disturbing revelation on her way back to the Fortress.


	3. Chapter 3

Zutana spent most of the evening tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She finally dozed off about an hour before sunrise.

IShe was walking through the forest. She passed by the bed of fire lilies, and entered the clearing where she had seen Haru. But, he wasn't there.

She was looking for something, but it was constantly eluding her. She saw a figure disappear through the trees ahead of her. "Stop!" She shouted. She gave chase.

It was always just around the next tree, or disappearing into the next shadow. It seemed impossible to catch. She finally came to another, much smaller clearing. The trees formed a canopy overhead, making the lighting sparse and cool.

The figure stood in the middle of the clearing. He was no more than a shadow, a dark shape. He turned to face her.

His eyes were glowing like a blue sun in the dead of night. He put his hand together, and the glow spread outwards along his arms, down his legs, and up his spine to the top of his head to form an arrow that stopped just short of his forehead.

He said something that was no louder than a vague whisper on the wind. His voice was the combination of a thousand, all speaking at once, saying everything and nothing. He took a step toward her, then another, his arm stretching out until his fingertips were no more than a hairsbreadth away from her forehead.

He said something else with that terrifying voice that washed over Zutana's soul, but, again, she didn't understand him. She opened her mouth to say so, but he shook his head. He touched her brow./I

She jolted awake, a cold sweat covering her body. She brushed away the hair that stuck to her forehead, and felt that- where the rest of her body was freezing cold- her forehead seared with a pain she had never known.

She stood up quickly, and moved towards her bureau, where the General had placed a gilded hand-mirror. She took it in her hand and moved towards the window, situating herself as to see clearly in the early-morning sunlight.

When she held her hair back and turned her face towards the mirror, she gasped at what she saw. A small white arrow extended from underneath her hairline to about half-way down her forehead.

I"You have been chosen."/I

Zutana looked around. There was no one. She was alone.

I"You have been chosen."/I It was that terrible voice from her dream. He was here, somewhere.

IWas that what he had said?/I She wondered to herself. She shook her head. "That's ridiculous." She said aloud. She shook her head again. "It was just a dream."

I"You have been chosen."/I

She quickly threw all of her possessions into the small bag that she had brought with her, and grabbed up the basket pack from the floor. She looked at the gilded mirror as it glinted faintly in the sunlight. She picked it up and looked at her forehead again. It had cooled, and the mark had faded a little, but it was far too visible. She brushed her bangs forward, and that covered it fairly well. She examined the mirror again, and threw it into her small bag, cinching it up, and then putting it into the basket pack that held her food.

She left her room, and walked quietly down the hall. She left the fortress via the back kitchen, and made a large circuit through the surrounding countryside before backtracking to the village.

The market was just opening as she arrived on the main street of the small mining town. She saw Haru disappear into his mother's shop, and she quickly followed him inside. She locked the door behind her, and ran over to close the windows.

"May I help you?" Haru's mother said, icily.

"What are you doing?" Haru protested.

"I need Iyour/I help." Zutana said, closing the last window.

"Why should we help you? You're Fire Nation scum!" Haru spat at her.

"Do not insult me!" Zutana's eyes flashed.

"You love this war!" Haru accused.

"You're walking dangerous ground boy." Zutana whispered threateningly. "This war has brought me nothing more than empty chairs at an empty table." She sighed, and her eyes fell to the ground as an image of Lu Ten's laughing face flashed across her mind's eye.

"Besides," she said, straightening herself up, and taking a deep breath. "You want to help me because I have some information that could be Ivery/I detrimental to your freedom, Haru."

"What are you talking about?" His mother interrupted.

"My dear lady," Zutana turned towards her. "Surely, you cannot be ignorant that your own son is an Earthbender."

"So, it was Iyou/I in the woods that day." Haru's eyes flashed.

"Please, do not turn him in!" The woman pleaded, approaching Zutana. "Please, he is all I have left."

"I do not intend to, madam." Zutana said, a light frost in her voice. "However, my silence comes with a price."

"What do you want?" The woman begged.

"I am bound for the city of Omashu." Zutana stated. "Only, I have neither the means, nor the direction to get there."

"Why don't you just have your Fire Nation buddies take you?" Haru jeered. Zutana's eyes flashed again, but she ignored him.

"There is a caravan leaving for Omashu within the hour." The old woman said.

"Thank you, kind lady." She bowed slightly. "Now, if you can tell me where this caravan may be found…"

"Haru shall take you!" The woman exclaimed. She pushed him forward.

Haru grumbled a bit, but he eventually complied. He led Zutara out the back door as his mother unlocked the shop.

They walked deep into the woods, and finally came to a clearing where there was a small caravan gathering together.

"Ah, Haru!" A man atop one of the wagons shouted to the boy. "How are you today?"

"Just fine. I have one more Irefugee/I for you." He approached the man, close enough to speak in hushed tones. "But, be careful of this one. She's Fire Nation."

The driver went white. "Sakes alive, boy, why did you bring her here?"

"I think that she's an exile." Haru said. "Besides," he huffed, "she black-mailed my mother." He walked back over to Zutana. "This is the caravan that will take you to Omashu. Just remember to keep up your end of the bargain."

"I would never have told them anyway." She spat on the ground. "Those pigs at the fort disgust me."

"Then why did you threaten us?" Haru asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"Would you have helped me otherwise?" When she saw the doubt cross Haru's face, she added, "Besides, no matter how much you want to, you cannot Ialways/I behave prettily to others, and still get what you need."

"Alright everyone," the caravan driver called. "Let's start on!" He cracked the whip over their heads, and the ostrich horses started forward, pulling their respective wagons. Zutana started forward as well, hiking her pack onto her shoulders.

"What you ineed/i, or what you Iwant/I?"

"In this case," she said, over her shoulder, "they are one in the same, no?"

Haru had no answer, so he stood silently as he watched the caravan disappear down the forest path.


	4. Chapter 4

Zutana spent most of the evening tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She finally dozed off about an hour before sunrise.

IShe was walking through the forest. She passed by the bed of fire lilies, and entered the clearing where she had seen Haru. But, he wasn't there.

She was looking for something, but it was constantly eluding her. She saw a figure disappear through the trees ahead of her. "Stop!" She shouted. She gave chase.

It was always just around the next tree, or disappearing into the next shadow. It seemed impossible to catch. She finally came to another, much smaller clearing. The trees formed a canopy overhead, making the lighting sparse and cool.

The figure stood in the middle of the clearing. He was no more than a shadow, a dark shape. He turned to face her.

His eyes were glowing like a blue sun in the dead of night. He put his hand together, and the glow spread outwards along his arms, down his legs, and up his spine to the top of his head to form an arrow that stopped just short of his forehead.

He said something that was no louder than a vague whisper on the wind. His voice was the combination of a thousand, all speaking at once, saying everything and nothing. He took a step toward her, then another, his arm stretching out until his fingertips were no more than a hairsbreadth away from her forehead.

He said something else with that terrifying voice that washed over Zutana's soul, but, again, she didn't understand him. She opened her mouth to say so, but he shook his head. He touched her brow./I

She jolted awake, a cold sweat covering her body. She brushed away the hair that stuck to her forehead, and felt that- where the rest of her body was freezing cold- her forehead seared with a pain she had never known.

She stood up quickly, and moved towards her bureau, where the General had placed a gilded hand-mirror. She took it in her hand and moved towards the window, situating herself as to see clearly in the early-morning sunlight.

When she held her hair back and turned her face towards the mirror, she gasped at what she saw. A small white arrow extended from underneath her hairline to about half-way down her forehead.

I"You have been chosen."/I

Zutana looked around. There was no one. She was alone.

I"You have been chosen."/I It was that terrible voice from her dream. He was here, somewhere.

IWas that what he had said?/I She wondered to herself. She shook her head. "That's ridiculous." She said aloud. She shook her head again. "It was just a dream."

I"You have been chosen."/I

She quickly threw all of her possessions into the small bag that she had brought with her, and grabbed up the basket pack from the floor. She looked at the gilded mirror as it glinted faintly in the sunlight. She picked it up and looked at her forehead again. It had cooled, and the mark had faded a little, but it was far too visible. She brushed her bangs forward, and that covered it fairly well. She examined the mirror again, and threw it into her small bag, cinching it up, and then putting it into the basket pack that held her food.

She left her room, and walked quietly down the hall. She left the fortress via the back kitchen, and made a large circuit through the surrounding countryside before backtracking to the village.

The market was just opening as she arrived on the main street of the small mining town. She saw Haru disappear into his mother's shop, and she quickly followed him inside. She locked the door behind her, and ran over to close the windows.

"May I help you?" Haru's mother said, icily.

"What are you doing?" Haru protested.

"I need Iyour/I help." Zutana said, closing the last window.

"Why should we help you? You're Fire Nation scum!" Haru spat at her.

"Do not insult me!" Zutana's eyes flashed.

"You love this war!" Haru accused.

"You're walking dangerous ground boy." Zutana whispered threateningly. "This war has brought me nothing more than empty chairs at an empty table." She sighed, and her eyes fell to the ground as an image of Lu Ten's laughing face flashed across her mind's eye.

"Besides," she said, straightening herself up, and taking a deep breath. "You want to help me because I have some information that could be Ivery/I detrimental to your freedom, Haru."

"What are you talking about?" His mother interrupted.

"My dear lady," Zutana turned towards her. "Surely, you cannot be ignorant that your own son is an Earthbender."

"So, it was Iyou/I in the woods that day." Haru's eyes flashed.

"Please, do not turn him in!" The woman pleaded, approaching Zutana. "Please, he is all I have left."

"I do not intend to, madam." Zutana said, a light frost in her voice. "However, my silence comes with a price."

"What do you want?" The woman begged.

"I am bound for the city of Omashu." Zutana stated. "Only, I have neither the means, nor the direction to get there."

"Why don't you just have your Fire Nation buddies take you?" Haru jeered. Zutana's eyes flashed again, but she ignored him.

"There is a caravan leaving for Omashu within the hour." The old woman said.

"Thank you, kind lady." She bowed slightly. "Now, if you can tell me where this caravan may be found…"

"Haru shall take you!" The woman exclaimed. She pushed him forward.

Haru grumbled a bit, but he eventually complied. He led Zutara out the back door as his mother unlocked the shop.

They walked deep into the woods, and finally came to a clearing where there was a small caravan gathering together.

"Ah, Haru!" A man atop one of the wagons shouted to the boy. "How are you today?"

"Just fine. I have one more Irefugee/I for you." He approached the man, close enough to speak in hushed tones. "But, be careful of this one. She's Fire Nation."

The driver went white. "Sakes alive, boy, why did you bring her here?"

"I think that she's an exile." Haru said. "Besides," he huffed, "she black-mailed my mother." He walked back over to Zutana. "This is the caravan that will take you to Omashu. Just remember to keep up your end of the bargain."

"I would never have told them anyway." She spat on the ground. "Those pigs at the fort disgust me."

"Then why did you threaten us?" Haru asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"Would you have helped me otherwise?" When she saw the doubt cross Haru's face, she added, "Besides, no matter how much you want to, you cannot Ialways/I behave prettily to others, and still get what you need."

"Alright everyone," the caravan driver called. "Let's start on!" He cracked the whip over their heads, and the ostrich horses started forward, pulling their respective wagons. Zutana started forward as well, hiking her pack onto her shoulders.

"What you ineed/i, or what you Iwant/I?"

"In this case," she said, over her shoulder, "they are one in the same, no?"

Haru had no answer, so he stood silently as he watched the caravan disappear down the forest path.


	5. Chapter 5

"What are you talking about?" His mother interrupted.

"My dear lady," Zutana turned towards her. "Surely, you cannot be ignorant that your own son is an Earthbender."

"So, it was _you_ in the woods that day." Haru's eyes flashed.

"Please, do not turn him in!" The woman pleaded, approaching Zutana. "Please, he is all I have left."

"I do not intend to, madam." Zutana said, a light frost in her voice. "However, my silence comes with a price."

"What do you want?" The woman begged.

"I am bound for the city of Omashu." Zutana stated. "Only, I have neither the means, nor the direction to get there."

"Why don't you just have your Fire Nation buddies take you?" Haru jeered. Zutana's eyes flashed again, but she ignored him.

"There is a caravan leaving for Omashu within the hour." The old woman said.

"Thank you, kind lady." She bowed slightly. "Now, if you can tell me where this caravan may be found…"

"Haru shall take you!" The woman exclaimed. She pushed him forward.

Haru grumbled a bit, but he eventually complied. He led Zutara out the back door as his mother unlocked the shop.

They walked deep into the woods, and finally came to a clearing where there was a small caravan gathering together.

"Ah, Haru!" A man atop one of the wagons shouted to the boy. "How are you today?"

"Just fine. I have one more _refugee_ for you." He approached the man, close enough to speak in hushed tones. "But, be careful of this one. She's Fire Nation."

The driver went white. "Sakes alive, boy, why did you bring her here?"

"I think that she's an exile." Haru said. "Besides," he huffed, "she black-mailed my mother." He walked back over to Zutana. "This is the caravan that will take you to Omashu. Just remember to keep up your end of the bargain."

"I would never have told them anyway." She spat on the ground. "Those pigs at the fort disgust me."

"Then why did you threaten us?" Haru asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"Would you have helped me otherwise?" When she saw the doubt cross Haru's face, she added, "Besides, no matter how much you want to, you cannot _always_ behave prettily to others, and still get what you need."

"Alright everyone," the caravan driver called. "Let's start on!" He cracked the whip over their heads, and the ostrich horses started forward, pulling their respective wagons. Zutana started forward as well, hiking her pack onto her shoulders.

"What you _need_, or what you _want_?"

"In this case," she said, over her shoulder, "they are one in the same, no?"

Haru had no answer, so he stood silently as he watched the caravan disappear down the forest path.


	6. Chapter 6

The caravan moved slowly through the Earth Kingdom, following a deep river that cut into the continent. They skirted the Great Divide, and headed south. They crossed the fringes of the Si Wong desert, and hugged the foothills of the Oma mountains. After a good month of non-stop traveling, the travelers reached Omashu.

The stone city stood in a gorge, raised up on a plateau in the center. There was a single stone bridge leading the the gate, and a steady flow of traffic crossed it.

"Here's your stop, little lady." The wagon driver said, pointing at the city.

"Are you not stopping?" Zutana asked.

"We will be here for two days to restock our supplies, and trade out the animals." He said, but we will be staying outside the city." He looked down at her. "At any rate, there is no reason for you to stay out here, you should go and get a room at one of the inns."

He had recognized from the beginning that she was not used to continual physical strain, and over it time it had become blatantly obvious to the others as well.

"Thank you very much for bringing me with you." She said. She held out her hand to shake his. he responded by gripping her's quickly then letting go. He hadn't told anyone else that she was Fire Nation, and he wasn't about to. He had more important things to do than deal with irate refugees and their grudges.

Zutana nodded slightly, and turned toward the village, hoisting her bag higher up on her shoulder. She started across the bridge, blending in with the other refugees. She slipped into the shadows of a cabbage cart and passed through the doors unnoticed.

Once inside, she couldn't help but stop and stare. The city was magnificent. It was built on four mountains- The small mountain by the entrance was called The Gateway, and it held most of the inns, and the lower class citizens. The one to the left was Oma's Peak, housing the Oma district of the city. To the right was Mount Shu, and was consequently called the Shu district. The mountain in the center was Omashu Tower. It held the upper class, and the king's palace was set on the summit. There were a series of chutes that led from the top of the city to the bottom, and a series of lifts took it all back up again. People dispersed into the city, and others joined the crowd that moved through the main marketplace.

Zutana headed toward the first inn she saw and booked a room. It was a fairly decent hotel room, but it was better than a sleeping roll under the wagon. One shown her room, she lay down on the bed and slept for hours. She did not wake until the next morning at dawn.

She changed her clothes, and emptied her bag out, keeping only the necessities for walking around the city. She was going to find a decent job. She weighed her sword in her hand.

It was a beautiful piece made by the famous Piandao. He had been a friend of her father's until Sho died, then Zutana continued the acquaintance. He had given her the sword merely two days before she left the Fire Nation. The sheath was gold with rubies set into both ends. There was a male dragon wound around the sheath, and outlined with red diamonds. The hilt was made of a platinum and white gold mixture, and the blade was of pure Damascus steel. Etched into the metal was another dragon, her back arched and fire coming from her outstretched jaws, and shooting down the shimmering steel towards the sharp tip of the blade.

The sword had been designed to match her pendant- a ruby and yellow-diamond dragon. It had been a gift from Lu Ten before he went off to war, and she usually kept it tucked into her tunic.

She ripped a strip lengthwise along the bottom of the sheet that was sitting on her bed. She would replace it later. It was a plain, dark brown color. She wrapped it around the sheath of the sword, taking care to cover all of the gold and rubies so that only the hilt showed, and tied it to her belt.

She left the hotel, and began to look for _Help_ signs. She finally found one about a quarter of the way up Omashu Tower. It was a small tea house, and they needed an all-around girl. Someone who would do whatever was needed whenever she was asked. She spoke to the owner, and he practically handed her the job.


	7. Chapter 7

Zutana groaned as she fell back onto her bed. She was aching all over. Her boss hadn't been kidding when he had said that her job would be a tasking one. She didn't complain though - not audibly at least. She had been lucky to find the job as soon as she did. Now, almost three months later, she could afford to move out of the inn where she had been staying since her arrival in Omashu, and could finally get an apartment of her own. She had found the perfect one the day before, and now all that was left was to haggle over the rent.

She had just managed to get herself comfortable when there was a very loud, and very forceful knock on the door. She picked herself up off the bed, and trudged her way to the door. "Yes?" She asked, opening the door to the hallway.

"Thank goodness you're here!" A small figure came rushing past her into the room.

"Lee?" She asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?" Lee was the youngest son of her boss, and he was often used as a messenger when his father was too busy (lazy) to leave the tea shop.

"Father is frantic!" Lee had stopped in the middle of the room, and turned to face Zutana. He was wringing his hand anxiously. "Neither of the chefs for the night shift can come in tonight, and we don't have any tea ready-made!"

"Well, what am I supposed to do about it?" Zutana asked, shutting the door and plopping back down on the bed.

"Father wants you to come and make tea for tonight." Lee moved a step closer.

"Well, I don't-"

"He said that if you said that you didn't know how to make tea, that he knows that you use the kitchen during your breaks to make your own because you're unhappy with his."

She propped herself up on her elbows, and looked at Lee. "You father told you to say that?" The boy nodded. She sighed. "Very well, I'll be along shortly. I just have to clean up."

"He said that you can wash up at the shop!" The boy cried eagerly. He grabbed Zutana by the hand and practically pulled her out after him.

The quickly arrived outside the Forbidden Mountain Tea Shop, where Nishi, her boss, stood waiting for her.

"About time you got here." He said, somewhat irritably. He held out an apron. "Here, put this on."

"You should be nicer, considering I'm coming in on short notice." Zutana said, raising an eyebrow at him as she took the apron. She pulled it on, and as she looped the ties around her waist she added "I want overtime for this." he started to open his mouth. "Double." She forestalled him.

"Only if you're worth it." He growled.

"Oh, trust me. I will be." She went inside the shop, and made her way to the back and into the kitchen.

It was a small affair with a small window that opened onto the dining room, and shelves along every wall, piled high with different herbs and leaves, many of which hadn't been opened. Zutana had made a point of trying a new tea every day since she discovered all the teas on her first day, but she had barely made it across the first shelf.

Nishi tried to follow her into the kitchen, rattling off orders, but she shut the door in his face. "If you want to talk to me, do it through the order window." he growled something about her getting fired when this was all over, but she pretended not to hear him.

She began pulling down different bottles, and opening them to check their contents. She knew that she was being pretty short with Nishi, but he had had her running around all of Omashu since four o'clock that morning looking for some tea shipment that wasn't supposed to come for another week. She was exhausted, and wanted to go to bed. But, she also recognized that this was her chance to end her days as a gofer, and become a chef at the Tea House.

She searched through the bottles and jars until she found what she was looking for. By the time she was done, eleven bottles sat before her. She set a large pot of water to boil, and pulled out an equally large mixing bowl. She took a medium sized spoon, and picked up the first jar. According to the smell, it was a fairly generic red tea leaf. She spooned some into the bowl. The next two jars held green tea, and white tea.

She set those three aside, and picked up the next few bottles, one with jasmine petals, one with orange peels, and one with dried strawberry pieces. She spooned those in, then added peach, sunflower petals, rose petals, and cornflower petals to the mix. The smell was heavenly, but that was nothing compared to how it would smell boiling.

At that point, the water had begun to bubble, and she removed it from the flames. She took a number of teapots down from their shelf, and filled them with the loose tea, then poured the hot water in. Rather than place the lid atop the teapots, she picked up the final jar, and pulled out a number of small eternally blooming Galbana lily blossoms, and set them in the top of the teapots. The nectar would run down the stem and into the tea, giving it that final flavor addition that reminded her so much of the home that she had loved.

She began to put the teapots into the order window, and the waiters came and took them away. When the last pot had been taken, Zutana slumped down on a stool in the corner. Iroh had taught her how to make that tea, along with many other varieties. He had taught her well, and she could make good tea from almost anything.

That was how Iroh had grieved. He made, and drank tea. Despite all his skills in mixing teas, his favorite was a simple jasmine tea. He had incorporated it into all of the teas he ha taught Zutana how to make. It wasn't until know, almost five years later, that she realized why.

Jasmine was Lu Ten's favorite flower. It had always held a special fascination for him. She could remember a time when they would sit together under the jasmine flowers, breathing in its heady scent. She could still remember his laughing face when-

"Zutana!" Nishi's voice jerked her out of her reverie.

"What?" She asked, irritated.

"The king is here." He said, quitely. "He wishes to see you."

"The king?" She asked blankly. "of Omashu?"

"What other king is there? Hurry and clean yourself up!" He hissed.

She ran he fingers through her hair, and splashed her face with some water and wiped it off on her apron. Then, she went into the dining room.

There stood King Bumi, hunched over in the center of the room, all of the customers in the shop bowed to him, and Zutana briefly followed suit. "You wished to see me, your majesty?"

"Hmmm..." Bumi came close to her, circling her once, and then peering in her face. His eyes seemed to focus on her forehead briefly, then he turned back to his entourage. "Yep, this is her. Let's go."

The king then left the tea shop. Hi entourage followed him except for two guards, who approached Zutana. They bowed briefly, and then asked to to follow them back to the palace.

"But, why? What have I done wrong?" She asked, surprised, and somewhat concerned.

"You have done nothing wrong, miss." One said, taking her arm and leading her from the teashop. "You have been chosen."

_You have been chosen._


End file.
